It's Nice To Be Us Again
by CJfaninSTL
Summary: This is a Woody and Jordan story that takes place a couple of days after the season 6 episode of 'Crossing Jordan' titled "Road Kill" and before the episode titled "Man In Blue". I always thought it was strange how Woody and Jordan went from barely speaking to almost normal in the next episode and also how Jordan knew that Woody was working with Lu. This is my little way of tying
_This is a Woody and Jordan story that takes place a couple of days after the season 6 episode of 'Crossing Jordan' titled "Road Kill" and before the episode titled "Man In Blue". I always thought it was strange how Woody and Jordan went from barely speaking to almost normal in the next episode and also how Jordan knew that Woody was working with Lu. This is my little way of tying up loose ends to show how they started to work their way back to being friends._

Jordan Cavanaugh finished the last paper in the large pile that had been building on her desk for quite some time now. She grabbed her jacket and her car keys and headed to the parking garage. It had been a long day and all she wanted to do was crawl under her covers and sleep for the next week. She reached her car shortly after 6pm. The sky was growing dark as she unlocked the door and got in. She turned the key only to hear a sputtering noise. She tried again…more angry noises. She let out a frustrated scream as she hit the steering wheel and leaned back against her seat and closed her eyes. That's when she heard a tapping at her car window.

"Jordan? Are you okay?" came the familiar voice. Jordan opened her eyes to see Detective Woody Hoyt standing next to her car with a concerned look in his eyes. Jordan offered an awkward smile as she rolled down her window.

"I'm fine. My car is just being stubborn. Seems she doesn't want to start."

"Pop the hood. I'll have a look." Woody said as he walked to the front of the car.

"That's okay, Woody. I don't want to hold you up, I'm sure you are busy. I'll just call for a tow." Jordan said. "I'm sure you have somewhere to be/"

"No, I don't. I just had to pick up a report from Bug and now I am on my way home. Go ahead. Pop it." Woody said. Jordan did as she was asked. Woody fiddled with a few things before smiling sheepishly. "You're going to have to call for a tow. I have no idea what I am doing here." Jordan met his smile and returned it as she retrieved her phone from her purse and called the tow truck.

"I lucked out," Jordan said as she got out of her car and walked towards Woody. "A truck is about five minutes from here. You don't have to stay. I'll be fine,"

"Don't worry about it. I'll go with you and give you a lift home," Woody said. "This car won't get fixed tonight."

"You really don't have to do that. I can just call a cab"

"Don't be silly. I want to help." Woody said and Jordan didn't argue it any further. Twenty minutes later the two sat in silence as Woody drove out of the parking garage and followed the tow truck as it made its way towards the garage. The silence was awkward and Jordan and Woody both hated it. Things had been strained between the two for months and now they did not even know how to talk to each other. The silence was interrupted by the sound of Woody's phone ringing.

"Would you answer that please? I don't want to talk and drive." Woody asked.

"Sure," Jordan said as she flipped open his phone. "Woody's phone, Jordan speaking?" She said quickly. The voice on the other end belonged to a female. Jordan listened to her speak for a moment then covered the phone with her hand. "It's a woman named Lu? She wants to know if you guys are still on for tomorrow." Jordan said quietly.

"Tell her yes and that I will see her at 10." Woody said. Jordan relayed the message and quickly hung up. More awkward silence.

"New girlfriend?" Jordan finally asked, avoiding Woody's glance.

"She's new, yes, but girlfriend, no," he said with a smile as he continued to drive with his eyes fixated on the road. "It turns out you were right a few months ago when you said I needed help. Lu is my help. She is the new department psychologist. I've been spilling my guts to her for a few weeks now." Woody could feel Jordan's eyes on him. At first she didn't say anything, but finally she addressed what she had just heard.

"Is she helping? Are you…" Jordan's voice trailed off.

"Better?" Woody asked "Yeah, I'm better. Apparently I have a life long list of issues that I never dealt with…you know, losing my parents so young, not being able to stop my brother from getting into drugs, getting shot…Lu has helped me sort through that stuff so that I stop being an ass to all of the people I care about" with the last remark, he glanced over at Jordan and the two briefly made eye contact before Woody turned back to the road.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Woody. Really, I am…and I'm sorry for not recognizing sooner that things weren't has great as they seemed. I had no idea you were struggling. I should have." Jordan said looking down at her hands. Woody pulled the car into the garage parking lot but before getting out, he turned to Jordan.

"None of this is on you, Jordan. I didn't even know I had problems. I guess that's what staring death in the face does to a person, makes you reevaluate things. I'm just sorry that my friends…that you…got caught up in my anger".

Jordan looked up at him and smiled. "I'm glad you're back, Woody."


End file.
